STAND. COM. REP. NO. 176

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1068

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1068 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BEACHES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to include in the State's policies for the physical environment under the Hawaii State Planning Act, the development of a statewide beach assessment study and a beach and shoreline restoration and conservation plan.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, and Hawaii State Aha Moku.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's internationally-recognized beaches and shoreline areas are invaluable public resources. Your Committee also finds, however, that these beaches and shoreline areas are at risk from sea level rise, coastal erosion, storm surges, and flooding associated with climate change. Therefore, in order to understand and protect these natural resources, this measure requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to develop a statewide beach assessment study and a beach and shoreline restoration and conservation plan.

Your Committee has heard the testimony of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, requesting that the language requiring a study and plan be amended to align more closely with the existing framework of section 226-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which exists as a statutory statement of objectives and policies for the physical environment adopted by the Legislature. The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development did note in its testimony that it supports the intent of this measure and that its Coastal Zone Management Program recently received funding for an initiative that will contribute towards actualizing the intent of this measure.

Your Committee also heard the testimony of the Hawaii State Aha Moku, requesting that the State adopt, as part of its objectives and policies, the pursuit of compatible relationships among activities, facilities, Native Hawaiian traditional practices, and natural resources.

Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the proposed language that would have required the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to develop a study and beach and shoreline restoration plan, to instead adopt, as part of the State's objectives and policies, the promotion of a statewide beach assessment study and shoreline restoration and conservation;

(2) Adding language that makes it a state planning objective and policy to pursue compatible relationships among activities, facilities, Native Hawaiian traditional practices, and natural resources; and

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1068, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1068, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair